


human anatomy

by lilabut



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Mild Language, One Shot, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-13
Updated: 2017-09-13
Packaged: 2018-12-27 17:23:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12085752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilabut/pseuds/lilabut
Summary: Daryl and Carol are studying for an anatomy test. When something doesn't quite add up, it's up to Carol to prove Daryl right.





	human anatomy

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for a prompt asking for Caryl smut resulting from studying for an anatomy exam. It sadly did not turn out all that smutty - Daryl and Carol were being shy and uncooperative.

_Ain't no way all of 'em are fitting in there,_ Daryl insists, tossing his pen onto her bed in frustration. They've been studying all afternoon, and it's starting to wear both of them down. Carol can feel an ache in her neck from looking down at her anatomy book and notes for hours, and she's hungry enough to devour a whole family sized pizza by now.

 

Rolling her eyes, she looks up at Daryl. _Why wouldn't they?_ she asks, a little amused by his mistrust in their textbook. Something about the fact that the human ribcage consists of twenty four ribs seems to sound off to him.

 

Stretching out her legs on the bed, Carol bites back a yawn. She barely slept last night, her head bursting with everything she's been studying for the exams next week.

 

_Makes no sense,_ Daryl mutters, pointing at her. _I mean, look at ya. Ya tiny. How would'ya even fit all of 'em ribs in there?_

 

Carol can't help but laugh at that, nudging his knee with her socked foot. _I'm pretty sure I'm not missing any,_ she quips, smirking at him.

 

He blushes the way he always does, ducking his head.

 

_Just sayin'._

 

He seems ready to call it a day, but Carol is suddenly hit by an idea. Giggling, she sits up on her knees, scooting a little closer to him on the bed.

 

_Here, let me prove it to you,_ she says, grabbing his hand and pulling it up to her waist so that his thumb grazes her bottom rib.

 

Daryl’s eyes widen a little and he stares down at his hand. The warmth of it easily seeps through the thin fabric of her shirt, and she feels a shiver running down her spine which she did not expect. _There's one,_ she says, sounding a lot more breathless than she intended.

 

Daryl's throat bops as he swallows, eyes still fixed on his hand as she moves it up an inch.

 

_Another._

 

Her mouth goes dry. Why did she do this? It was a stupid, idiotic idea. There are pictures and drawings in the damn book. He doesn't need living proof.

 

He doesn't move his hand on his own accord, seems almost petrified except for the rapid rise and fall of his chest. He's nervous, that's easy to tell. She should have expected that. She _knows_ him.

 

She doesn't know why she does it. But before she can even consider dropping his hand she moves it up another inch.

 

_Another,_ she breathes, and somehow she has moved even closer to him. His knees kiss hers on the soft mattress, his eyes level with her throat. Looking down at him, she can see the wonder and conflict in his eyes.

 

When she moves his hand up another inch, his thumb grazes the underside of her breast and she shudders. Stills. Feels the sensation hot in her veins, pooling low in her belly.

 

Daryl looks up at her then with dark eyes, his gaze flickering down to her lips again and again.

 

God, she wants to kiss him so badly. Can feel herself leaning forward with each breath she takes.

 

_Carol,_ he chokes then, an insecure question and a breathless plead all at once.

 

It should feel more monumental, Carol thinks. How many times has she imagined this? Has daydreamed about it? Countless times, and now it's real, right there for her to grasp and take the last step.

 

She encourages him with a small nod, moving his hand up until he holds the weight of her breast in his palm. He grunts the moment she does, the small sound causing an almost painful tug deep in her core.

 

_Kiss me?_ she whispers, barely recognizing her own voice. He looks so shy, even with his hand on her breast, and so she reaches up to sift her fingers through his dark blonde hair, ghosting across his cheek until the pad of her thumb finds his surprisingly soft lower lip. _Please._

 

She leans in closer, waits for him to follow and he does. Closes that last inch between them and presses his lips to hers. It's brief and chaste and over too quickly and when he pulls away there's a moment of awkwardness. His hand is still on her breast, his cheeks flushed red.

 

_It's okay,_ she promises on a slight whisper, feeling the warmth of his breath on her still tingling lips. Arching her back, she leans into his touch, and it's encouragement enough for him.

 

Gently, he squeezes his hand on her breast, her nipples tightening and straining against the cotton of her bra. He seems mesmerized by it when he drags his thumb over the stiff peak and it feels better than anything she has ever felt. The spark that shoots through her tears a needy whimper from her throat. Her hand tightens around his nape, pulling him in for another kiss. This time, it's far from chaste.

 

Daryl doesn't seem to really know what he's doing. It's too fast and then too slow, his teeth nipping at her lips, tongue tracing hers. It's messy but it's perfect and when she pulls him down with her, he follows eagerly.

 

His weight is comforting as he presses her into mattress, his hips easily falling into the cradle of her thighs. Through her thin yoga pants, she can feel him hard against her inner thigh, and she can't hold in the moan that he swallows eagerly.

 

Whatever shyness held him back before seems to have evaporated, replaced by the lust she saw in his eyes as he grinds himself against her in shallow, quick thrusts. His hand finds the hem of her shirt, fingers ghosting over her abdomen for a moment. He pulls back then, just enough to meet her eyes.

 

Silently asking for permission.

 

It's like a fever has taken hold of her, and instead of nodding she reaches between them, tugging impatiently at her shirt and pulling it over her head without shame. Mindlessly, she tosses it away, arching her back to reach behind herself and unclasp her bra.

 

She's only nervous for a second before she pulls it off. Afraid Daryl might not like what he sees. That she's too thin, too small, too pale. But there's nothing but wonder in his eyes, kiss-swollen lips parted.

 

It's like he can't believe it when she lays beneath him bare from the waist up, chest heaving with her panting breaths.

 

He doesn't move, though. Is pressed against her perfectly and she can feel her core throbbing in response to the pressure. Aching. It's new and exciting and she decides to take this step for him. Tilts her hips up to grind against him, the fiction deliciously good.

 

Her eyes flutter shut and Daryl groans, drops his head to the crook of her neck. His lips mouth over the sensitive skin there, goosebumps breaking out all over her body as he kisses a path from her ear down to her collarbone.

 

His hand is inching up her side, the other arm supporting his weight. When he cups her breast again with nothing separating her from the calloused warmth of his hand, she wants to cry. Can feel tears prickling behind her closed eyes.

 

Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she holds him close, meets his thrusts time and time again and feeling the tension coiling low in her belly, ready to snap.

 

She's only ever done this on her own, and more than once, it was him she imagined when she brought herself over the edge.

 

Now, though, he's here. Circling her nipples and suckling at the delicate skin at the top of her breast, pushing against her over and over with panting breaths that are warm and damp against her skin.

 

She's so close. So damn close and if he stops now she's going to kill him. Almost desperately, she locks her legs around his waist, changing the angle and pulling him impossibly closer.

 

It would be so easy to reach down and unbuckle his pants. Push her own out if the way. Take him inside her. She can feel how wet she is, how ready. Is almost positive it wouldn't hurt much.

 

But it's not how she wants this to happen. They deserve more than that.

 

_Carol-_ he groans, his hand slipping beneath her lower back to hold her against him. _We gotta stop._

 

She mewls, shaking her head. _No, please,_ she breathes, her breathing ragged and shallow. _Please don't stop._

 

She's all but clawing at him, fingers curled deftly around his strong upper arms, chasing his hips, pulling him in.

 

_I'm gonna-_ she gasps, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. So close. She's so close.

 

_Fuck,_ Daryl hisses, groaning, thrusting hard against her and if he keeps doing that she's going to-

 

He pulls away, strong enough to escape the lock of her legs and she cries out in frustration, hands falling to the sheets and fisting them between her fingers. When she looks at him, he's kneeling between her legs, hair a mess, eyes hooded.

 

_Why?_ she asks, miserable and feeling cold and empty, all the tension slowly fading in the most unsatisfying way.

 

_Can't,_ he croaks, blushing hard. _I wanna- 'm sorry. Really. 's just... I was gonna... 's gonna be a mess._ He's stuttering and she can barely follow him. It's only when he vaguely points down at his crotch that she understands.

 

She can clearly see the outline of his erection, the sight causing a nervous flutter in her stomach. Of course. How could she be so stupid? He had been just as close as her and naturally wouldn't want to come like this.

 

_Oh,_ she says quietly, suddenly feeling naked, stupid and exposed, starting to fold her arms across her chest. _I'm sorry, I didn't-_

 

_Ain't gotta be,_ Daryl quickly interrupts her, and then he does something brave she didn't expect. He takes one of her hands in his, entwines their fingers.

 

Her lips form a gentle smile as she draws her thumb over his knuckles. The skin there is dry and coarse. But so warm. So, so warm.

 

_Come here,_ she whispers, tugging softly until he lays down by her side. She turns to face him, glad to have his chest pressed up against her own. She doesn't feel quite as naked this way.

 

Daryl still looks a little nervous, his eyes fixed on hers and his fingers fidgeting against her palm. _What just happened?_ he asks, voice hoarse and cautious.

 

Softly, Carol reaches out, all earlier disappointment and frustration forgotten as she draws her thumb over his cheekbone and sifts her fingers through his hair.

 

_I don't know,_ she admits, nudging the tip of her nose against his. _But I'm glad it did._

 

Daryl nods, his hand coming up to rest at her bare waist. Just the warm touch of his fingers there is enough to stoke the embers in her veins and Carol scoots a little closer, feeling him hard against her hip.

 

He tenses, muttering a curse under his breath.

 

_I'm sorry,_ she whispers, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. _Maybe we should slow this down a little._

 

He nods eagerly, but the tight grip he has on her waist tells a different story.

 

_I don't have condoms anyway,_ she chuckles with a wink, relishing in the way his cheeks instantly flame bright red.

 

_Stop,_ he drawls, pressing his forehead to hers. She hasn't even considered until now that her parents are downstairs, too. She knows they won't come up here. But still, it's a risk she doesn't want to take.

 

Everything feels heavy and warm as their breathing slows down. He's gentle in a way she didn't expect - or maybe she did. He's too sweet for his own good under all that rough exterior. And he's never been anything but gentle and soft with her.

 

Slowly, he ghosts his hand up and down her side, making her tremble and shiver. She seeks his lips out for a languid kiss she can't quite believe is real. It's still unsure and unpracticed, but it's _Daryl_ and it's all she ever wanted.

 

Being here in his arms, that's something she never thought they'd actually have. She'd been afraid it would be too much for him and it's a miracle he's allowing this intimacy at all. Maybe he's still as kiss drunk as she is. Maybe things will be awkward from now on, but this moment is worth it.

 

Her lips curl into a smile against his when she feels his fingers moving up her ribcage, tracing rib by rib until he reaches the very top.

 

_Do you believe me now?_ she whispers, and he pulls back just enough for her to see the smile on his own lips before she curls into him, let's him wrap her up in his arms.

 

She might have twenty four ribs to hold her heart. But in this moment, it swells so much that she's sure they can't contain it any more.


End file.
